OWNED BY THE BIKER KING

Chapter 15

The soft, golden rays of the morning sunlight slowly filtered through the towering glass windows of the living room, chasing away the heavy shadows of the storm from the night before.

Elena stirred softly beneath the covers before slowly opening her eyes. For a few bewildered seconds, she blinked at the high ceiling in sheer confusion. Why on earth was she sleeping on the living room couch?

Then—the vivid memories of last night suddenly came rushing back in a dizzying wave. The relentless pouring rain. Ryder returning home looking utterly exhausted. The raw cut across his sharp knuckles. Their quiet, unusually honest conversation.

Her eyes widened slightly as her face flared with sudden heat. “Oh no…”

Elena immediately sat upright, her heart hammering against her ribs as she glanced around the vast, open space. The thick fleece blanket that had somehow been tucked securely over her shoulders slipped down onto her lap. She frowned, holding the edge of the fabric. She distinctly remembered falling asleep bare-shouldered against the cushions; she definitely hadn't pulled a blanket over herself.

Slowly, her gaze drifted toward the nearby armchair where Ryder had been sitting.

Empty. He was already gone.

Elena quickly shook the pounding thoughts away, patting her warm cheeks. “What am I even thinking…”

“Thinking about me already?” a deep, gravelly voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts from the doorway.

Elena nearly jumped out of her skin. Her head snapped around so fast her neck popped.

Ryder was standing casually near the entrance of the living room, leaning his broad shoulder against the doorframe while loosely holding a steaming cup of black coffee. He had changed into a fresh charcoal shirt, his dark hair still slightly damp from a morning shower. His expression remained as calm and unreadable as usual, though something suspiciously close to pure amusement flashed deep within his obsidian eyes.

Elena immediately looked away, staring hard at the floorboards to hide her embarrassment. “No.”

“Hm.”

That simple, deep response from him somehow made her feel even more flustered. Ryder walked past her with slow, measured steps before sitting down casually on the single leather sofa across from her. For a few long seconds, a thick silence settled between them, broken only by the faint aroma of fresh coffee bridging the gap.

Then—breaking his own rule of stoicism—Ryder spoke.

“Thank you.”

Elena blinked, her head snapping back up. “What?”

Ryder didn't look at her directly; instead, his gaze dropped briefly to his right hand. “The bandage.”

Elena stared at him, completely captivated. Somehow, hearing a man as intimidating and dangerous as Ryder Kane say the words 'thank you' felt stranger and more profound than anything else she had experienced in this house. A soft, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “You’re welcome.”

For a brief, suspended moment, neither of them looked away. The heavy, volatile atmosphere that usually dictated the mansion suddenly felt entirely different. Softer. Warmer. And in a way, far more dangerous to Elena's guarded heart than any threat.

Before either of them could utter another word to break the spell, the loud, confident sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the grand entrance hall.

Both of them turned their heads instantly toward the archway. A tall, strikingly handsome figure casually strolled into the living room. He had jet-black hair, sharp aristocratic features, and an annoyingly confident grin stretched across his face. He possessed far too much swagger for someone who had just walked uninvited into another person’s high-security home.

The stranger stopped dead in his tracks the moment his eyes landed on the two of them. His sharp gaze moved deliberately from Elena’s wide eyes to Ryder’s instantly darkening expression, then back to Elena again.

“Well… now this is incredibly interesting,” the man drawled, his voice dripping with smooth charm.

Ryder already looked profoundly annoyed, his jaw locking tight. “Don’t, Drayton.”

“Don’t what?” Drayton asked, throwing his hands up in mock innocence as he stepped further into the room.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

Drayton raised both hands in a dramatic gesture of surrender. “Hey, I haven’t even said a single thing yet, big brother.”

The massive, knowing grin on his face suggested completely otherwise. Elena blinked in utter confusion, her gaze shifting rapidly between the two towering men. For some reason, despite the contrast in their demeanors, they seemed surprisingly similar. Not necessarily in their exact facial features, but in the effortless, commanding way they occupied the space and spoke to each other.

Drayton finally turned his full, undivided attention toward her, offering a strong, well-groomed hand. “You must be the lovely Elena. It's a real pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh. I’m Drayton Kane—Ryder’s absolute favorite brother.” He flashed her a softer, dazzling smile.

“No, you’re not,” Ryder interjected flatly, taking a slow sip of his coffee.

Drayton didn't even look back at him, keeping his eyes on Elena. “See what I mean?”

Elena slowly reached out, her small hand swallowed by Drayton's polite grip. “…Do the two of you always argue like this?” she whispered, a bit overwhelmed.

“Yes,” Drayton answered instantly.

“No,” Ryder growled at the exact same time.

Elena blinked again, looking between them.

“See?” Drayton grinned triumphantly, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, tell me the truth, Elena. How exactly are you surviving him so far?”

Elena frowned slightly, tilting her head. “Surviving who?”

Drayton pointed a dramatic finger directly at Ryder. “The grumpy, anti-social one sitting right over there.”

“Shut the f**k up, Drayton,” Ryder rumbled, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

Drayton looked completely unbothered by the lethal threat. He looked back at Elena, winking. “See what I mean? Total sweetheart.”

Elena pressed her lips tightly together, desperately trying to suppress the bubble of amusement rising in her chest. She tried to fight it, but unfortunately, she failed miserably. A small, breathless laugh escaped her lips, echoing softly in the quiet room.

For a sudden moment, the living room fell into absolute silence. Drayton looked immensely pleased with himself, his chest puffing out slightly. Ryder, on the other hand, just stared at her. His intense gaze locked onto the rare, genuine smile gracing Elena's face, his expression freezing. Elena immediately caught herself and looked away, clearing her throat as her cheeks burned again.

“What?” she muttered defensively.

“Nothing,” Ryder murmured, his voice softer than before as he lowered his coffee cup.

The corner of Drayton’s mouth twitched as he took in the heavy, unspoken shift in the air. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” he whispered to himself.

As they continued standing there, the heavy thud of footsteps suddenly echoed from the grand entrance hall yet again. The three of them turned simultaneously to see who else was invading the space. A familiar, powerful figure walked sharply into the mansion, carrying a leather briefcase.

Luca.

He stopped dead in his tracks the moment he noticed all three of them standing in a circle, staring back at him. Luca slowly lowered his briefcase, his calculating gaze raking over the scene. Then, slowly—one sharp eyebrow lifted in perfect symmetry.

“…Did I happen to interrupt something important?” Luca asked, his voice smooth, controlled, and deeply suspicious.

Absolute silence fell over the room.

Drayton was the very first person to recover his composure, smoothing down his designer jacket. “No. Not at all, brother.”

Luca narrowed his dark eyes. The sheer speed of Drayton's denial somehow made him even more suspicious of the entire dynamic. Slowly, deliberately, his sharp gaze moved from Drayton’s guilty smirk, down to Elena’s wide, nervous eyes, and then finally landed square on Ryder’s rigid posture.

“…What exactly did I miss while I was sorting out the flight logistics?” Luca demanded quietly.

Ryder stood up abruptly from the couch, his towering height cutting off the conversation as he walked past his brother. “Nothing.”

Luca stared after him, his analytical mind already breaking down the body language. Drayton immediately turned his head away, biting his inner cheek to hide the massive grin threatening to split his face.

Yeah. Something definitely happened in this mansion while the security grid was being re-routed. And Drayton was going to make sure he found out every single detail.

To Be Continued